When it matters:
Different technologies have different viewing angle properties.

:
IPS

Variable Refresh Rate

What it is:
Feature that allows the monitor to synchronize its refresh rate with the input device's output and reduces stuttering and screen tearing.

When it matters:
Almost every usage, but is most noticeable in gaming where constant fluctuation in framerate cause distracting artifacts.

:
No

The HP V320 is a budget 1080p IPS monitor with average motion and slightly below average picture quality. It doesn't really exceed at anything, but also doesn't have any huge flaws. The input lag is quite low for a 60Hz monitor, so it feels responsive. Motion blur and gray uniformity are also great.

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Design

Score components:
Subjectively assigned

Score distribution:

Curved
:
No

Curve radius
:
N/A

Weight (without stand)
:
13.2lbs (6.0 kg)

Weight (with stand)
:
15.1lbs (6.8 kg)

The design of the HP V320 is decent. The wide-set stand is quite unusual for a monitor, but it does provide a good, stable support. Unfortunately, it isn't possible to adjust the monitor's height or rotate it which can make it more difficult to share images with coworkers or even find a comfortable viewing position. There is no cable management, and the borders are quite thick which isn't ideal for a multi-monitor setup.

Stand

Width
:
19.3" (49.1 cm)

Depth
:
6.6" (16.7 cm)

The HP V320 has a wide metal stand which is quite unconventional but does support the monitor well. Despite the width, it doesn't take up much desk space (the area underneath is still useful) which is good.

0.8Ergonomics

What it is:
How much the position of the screen can be adjusted to match the viewing preference of the user.

When it matters:
All usages, but especially office and gaming use.

Score components:

46%
Height Adjustment

18%
Switch portrait/landscape

18%
Swivel Range

18%
Tilt Range

Score distribution:

Height Adjustment
:
N/A

Switch portrait/landscape
:
No

Swivel Range
:
N/A

Tilt Range
:
-10° to 2.5°

Unfortunately, the ergonomic adjustments on the V320 are very limited. Only the tilt can be adjusted, so it is necessary to prop the monitor up to adjust the height and results in more difficulty finding the most comfortable position.

Update 07/05/2018: There was an error in the Tilt Range (it is actually -10° to 2.5°). The review has been updated.

Back

Wall Mount
:
VESA 100x100

The rear of this HP monitor is quite simple but does look good. It looks more like a TV from the back, and certainly won't stand out in any room. There is an included metal bracket that replaces the stand with a VESA mount, see here.

Borders

Borders
:
0.6" (1.6 cm)

The borders have an average thickness but do look quite good with the white plastic finish. Due to their thickness, there is a noticeable gap when used in multi-monitor setups.

Thickness

Thickness (with stand)
:
4.9" (12.4 cm)

Thickness (without stand)
:
2.3" (5.8 cm)

When viewed from the side, the monitor has an average thickness. It will stick out a bit if wall-mounted, but not too much. The basic stand means that the monitor can be placed close to a wall, which is great.

6.0Build Quality

What it is:
How well built and sturdy the monitor is, and how good the materials used to build it are.

When it matters:
All usages.

Score components:
Subjectively assigned

Score distribution:

The build quality of the V320 is decent. It feels quite basic and cheap, but the stand is sturdy.

The picture quality of the HP V320 is below average. The contrast ratio is decent for an IPS panel, so blacks will only appear gray when viewed in a dark room such as watching movies or browsing the web at night. The peak brightness is good, which helps to overcome glare when used in an office that has lots of indirect sunlight.

Unfortunately, reflection handling is below average, and the glossier screen finish can act like a mirror sometimes. Some image retention may be visible, however, this isn't too much of an issue during normal use. It doesn't support any more advanced features to improve the picture quality further such as local dimming or a wide color gamut.

6.8Contrast

What it is:
Brightness difference between white and black. This is the main component of picture quality.

Good value:
Full-array/direct lighting is better for local dimming. As for the uniformity of the screen, it depends on the implementation. Some edge-lit monitors have more uniform blacks than some full-array monitors.

What it is:
The maximum luminosity the TV can obtain while playing a movie or while watching a TV show. Our Real Scene was selected to represent a more regular movie condition. All measurements are made with the TV set to be as bright as possible, but with a 6500k white. Measured with local dimming on, max backlight and with an SDR signal. Scene: here.

What it is:
The maximum luminosity, even if only maintained for a short time, of a white square covering 2% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

When it matters:
Bright highlights, present on screen for a short time

What it is:
The maximum luminosity, even if only maintained for a short time, of a white square covering 10% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The maximum luminosity, even if only maintained for a short time, of a white square covering 25% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The maximum luminosity, even if only maintained for a short time, of a white square covering 50% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The maximum luminosity, even if only maintained for a short time, of a white square covering 100% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The lowest maximum luminosity (usually after it has stabilized) of a white square covering 2% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The lowest maximum luminosity (usually after it has stabilized) of a white square covering 10% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The lowest maximum luminosity (usually after it has stabilized) of a white square covering 25% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The lowest maximum luminosity (usually after it has stabilized) of a white square covering 50% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

What it is:
The lowest maximum luminosity (usually after it has stabilized) of a white square covering 100% of the screen, with the monitor set to be as bright as possible. Measured with local dimming and over SDR signal.

The screen is very uniform, which is great when viewing large areas with uniform colors such as browsing the web, watching content on YouTube or playing games. Only the corners of the screen have significant variations in brightness, so very little dirty screen effect is visible when watching sports.

When viewed in a dark room, the black uniformity is quite poor. Some flash lighting is visible in the corners, and clouding is present closer to the center of the screen. This may be an issue with dark content in a dark room, but otherwise won't be noticeable.

What it is:
This is the value for each color (red, green, and blue) used in the monitor internal RGB cuts/gains controls. If the monitor does not have an internal RGB cuts/gains controls, then the color temperature setting will be used instead, and the color temperature that gives us the best result will be used.

What it is:
The color temperature is a measure of the color of light. A colder color temperature (7000K) will look bluer and a warmer color temperature (4000K) will look yellower/redder. 6500K is the standard color for PC monitors and also for the sRGB color standard.

Out of the box, the HP V320 monitor has a sub-par accuracy. The white balance dE and color dE are both between 4 and 5, which at this level is noticeable by most enthusiasts. The gamma is at 2.06, which is lower than our 2.4 target and the gamma curve is not tracking very closely the target curve.

The HP V320 does not have 'Picture Mode' per say, but you can choose the color temperature mode, and the 'Custom RGB' color mode was the most accurate of them all. So if you don't plan to calibrate your monitor, use this mode to have the best result.

What it is:
This is the value for each color (red, green, and blue) used in the monitor internal RGB cuts/gains controls. If the monitor does not have an internal RGB cuts/gains controls, then the color temperature setting will be used instead, and the color temperature that gives us the best result will be used.

What it is:
The color temperature is a measure of the color of light. A colder color temperature (7000K) will look bluer and a warmer color temperature (4000K) will look yellower/redder. 6500K is the standard color for PC monitors and also for the sRGB color standard.

After calibration, the accuracy of the V320 is excellent. The white balance dE was brought down to a negligible 0.58 and the color dE to 0.81. In both case here, this level of inaccuracy is almost unperceivable. The gamma was corrected to track our 2.4 target, and the curve now is almost perfectly tracking again the target curve.

The HP V320 covers standard gamuts well. The great majority of the s.RGB color space is well represented, with a slightly restricted green primary. Its Adobe RGB capabilities are a bit more limited, however, reducing the monitor's usefulness for more professionally oriented tasks.

Excellent SDR color volume. The HP V320 has no issues covering the standard s.RGB volume properly. Its lesser coverage of the Adobe RGB color volume due to saturation limitations, unfortunately, make it less suited for photographers that use this larger volume.

What it is:
Number of bits per pixel to represent a specific color. Note: we consider 8-bit with dithering to be equivalent to 10-bit, as long as the 10-bit gradient looks smooth.

When it matters:
HDR content like HDR video games or HDR UHD movies. Won't matter for regular Blu-ray movies, SDR video game or desktop environment content displayed from a Windows PC. Those are limited to 8-bit color.

Motion

Motion looks good on the HP V320. It has a fast response time and is flicker-free which is great, but its common 60 Hz refresh rate and lack of Black Frame Insertion result in less smooth motion in video games compared to higher refresh rate monitors.

8.3Motion Blur

What it is:
The performance of the pixel response time. Poor response time causes trails to follow moving objects. Response time is one of a few sources of motion blur.

When it matters:
When there's fast movement on screen, such as during video games and sports.

Great response time, good enough for playing fast paced action games or watching sports with quick movement. The response time can be modified by changing the 'Response Time' (Overdrive) setting. We recommend using the 'Level 3' setting for fast response with minimal overshoot. The 'Level 4' setting adds noticeable overshoot (visible as a inverted blur following moving objects) and is only a little faster, so we do not recommend using it.

Like most monitors, the HP V320 doesn't flicker and shows each image for a full frame. Without flicker, motion appears slightly smoother which is good, but persistence blur is more visible due to the static frame time of 60Hz content. Unfortunately, this monitor doesn't have a BFI setting to reduce persistence blur by adding flicker, which is otherwise useful to reduce blur when playing fast paced games.

The HP V320 only has a fairly common 60 Hz refresh rate and has no Variable Refresh Rate features like G-sync and FreeSync, which means motion in video games won't look as good as on 144 Hz monitors. This is less of an issue when watching TV shows and movies though.

Lowest input lag possible at the center of the screen, when the monitor is displaying an alternative resolution at its native refresh rate. The non-native resolution tested depends on the native resolution of the monitor, following this pattern unless otherwise specified in the Input Lag text:

The large screen size, coupled with a 1080p resolution, results in a fairly low pixel density. This means that despite the large size, it is not possible to multitask as efficiently as on a higher resolution monitor.

Features

The HP V320 has a few features accessible through the OSD which allows selecting a low blue light mode for comfort, the sharpness of the image, and the response time setting. Unfortunately, it is more difficult to use than average due to the placement of the controls behind the monitor.

Additional Features

What it is:
Additional features found on the monitor

Score components:

Speakers

What it is:
Whether or not the monitor features standalone speakers.

When it matters:
When using your computer without headphones or a dedicated pair of speakers.

:
No

HDR10
:
No

A few additional features are accessible through the monitor's menu:

Low blue light setting

Dynamic contrast setting to raise blacks

Sharpness of the image

Sleep timer

On-Screen Display (OSD)

Controls

The controls are located behind the right-hand side of the monitor, which makes them a bit difficult to access. It is also difficult to differentiate between the buttons so usability is reduced.

In The Box

Manual

VGA cable

VESA mount

Differences between Sizes and Variants

We tested the 32" model (V320), which is the only size available.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their HP V320 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.

The HP V320 and the Dell D3218HN both have very similar performance. Their scores on our tests were almost identical and there isn't any single score that differentiates one from the other. One difference is in the input ports where the HP has DVI + VGA, and the Dell has VGA + HDMI. Other than that same performance, different brand.

The Dell P2217H is significantly better than the HP V320. The Dell P2217H has much better ergonomics that allow you to place it in a comfortable position and also has slightly better reflections so that you do not worry about room lighting. The HP V320, on the other hand, is larger but has the same FHD resolution as the Dell, which means that apart from larger size pixels, you do not get more screen space for work.

The Dell U2715H is much better than the HP V320 for every usage. The Dell U2715H has much better ergonomics so you can position it easily as you like. It has higher resolution and can display more details regardless of the smaller screen size. Finally, the Dell U2715H has better reflection handling so you can place it in a brighter room without any issues.

The Dell U2415 is significantly better than the HP V320 in all usages. The Dell U2415 has much better ergonomics so you can easily place it as you prefer and this is a big plus for most usages. The Dell U2415 can handle reflection better so you can place it in a room with a few light sources without worrying about having to rearrange the lighting. The HP V320 is a much larger monitor though.

The LG 29UM69G-B is somewhat better than the HP V320. The LG 29UM69G-B has marginally better reflection handling, so it is better if you place it in a room with many light sources. The LG also has better refresh rate and better image flicker, and thus motion looks crisper. Finally, the LG 29UM69G-B has a higher resolution and will display more detail on the screen.

The HP V320 is much better than the Sceptre C325W. The HP V320 has a lower input lag and a faster pixel response time that only leaves a small blur trail in fast action scenes which is great if you play games. It also has wider viewing angles because of its IPS panel, so you can show your work to your colleagues easier. On the other hand, the Sceptre C325W has better reflections handling and is suitable for a room with many light sources.

The ASUS VG248QE is a relatively inexpensive gaming monitor which supports a 144Hz refresh rate. This makes it feel very responsive when gaming or browsing the web. Unfortunately, the picture quality is worse as blacks appear gray and the narrow viewing angle of the TN panel make the edges of the screen look washed out. Overall, the VG248QE is a better choice for gamers or those who want the smoothest experience, but for other uses, the HP V320 is the way to go.

The LG 27UD58-B is an IPS monitor with a high-resolution 4k display. This extra working area makes it a better fit for an office environment or for editing media. In a bright room, the better reflection handling of the LG also provides an advantage. Although it has the same 60Hz refresh rate, it also supports FreeSync which is good for graphically intense games to avoid screen tearing. It comes at a price, but if you can afford it, the LG 27UD58-B is a better monitor.

Conclusion

Decent monitor for a range of usages. Picture quality is below average, but the monitor can get bright to overcome glare and the gray uniformity is great. The image also remains accurate at an angle which is great. Some temporary image retention is visible, however, this is unlikely to be an issue. The motion blur and input lag are great so it feels responsive.

The larger size is a bonus, however, the 1080p resolution means that it doesn't have any more usable area than smaller monitors. The picture quality is below average, but it does remain quite accurate when viewed at an angle which is good for sharing images with coworkers. Unfortunately, the stand has limited mobility so it can be hard to find a comfortable viewing position.

Decent monitor for gamers. The HP 320 feels responsive due to the low motion blur and input lag, however, not as responsive as some other monitors due to the 60Hz refresh rate. The response time can be adjusted as preferred, which is also great. Unfortunately, the picture quality is below average and it doesn't support more advanced gaming features such as FreeSync or the ability to flicker the backlight and clear up motion.

Sub-par for watching movies and TV shows. Picture quality is below average due to low native contrast ratio and poor black uniformity. The monitor can get quite bright to combat glare, but reflection handling is below average so direct reflections can be distracting.

Below average for editing photos or videos. Picture quality is below average, and colors are quite inaccurate out of the box. The HP 320 is worse than most other monitors at handling reflections but it can get quite bright to overcome glare.